Oil at the Falls

Avista reports that small quantity from spill at Upper Falls Dam did reach the river.

Avista reported Monday that a pump seal failure at its downtown Upper Falls Hydroelectric plant caused a small amount of “lightweight lubricating oil” to enter the Spokane River.  In an email sent to city officials early yesterday afternoon, Avista estimated the amount of oil reaching the river at “less than a gallon” and that it didn’t contain toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a common cause of concern in electric utility oil spills.

According to the Avista media release: “The spill was discovered at about 7:30 this morning after operators at the powerhouse found an auxiliary bearing pump seal had failed during the night. Avista immediately implemented emergency spill procedures and began working with the appropriate agencies to begin clean-up measures as quickly as possible.

“Initial estimates are that 50-100 gallons of the oil leaked inside the powerhouse building before it was discovered. Nearly all of the oil appears to have been contained within the powerhouse; however there is a small visible oil sheen on the river next to the powerhouse. Avista and Ecology have deployed a boom and that area is contained. They are now in the process of assessing whether any oil has traveled downstream.

“The oil does not contain PCBs. Avista is not aware of any immediate threat to wildlife or aquatic life, and believes the spill does not pose a long-term threat to the health of the river. Avista will continue working with Ecology to mitigate any environmental impacts and will follow up to ensure that there are no lasting impacts to the environment.”

Source: Avista